Preparations for a Train-to-Train Impact Test of Crash-Energy Management Passenger Rail Equipment

Tyrell, David; Jacobsen, Karina; Parent, Daniel

doi:10.1115/rtd2005-70045

Cited by 9 publications

(7 citation statements)

References 13 publications

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“…Though started relatively late, the research programme developed fast and led to several full-scale impact tests of both a single vehicle and of two coupled vehicles with a rigid wall type obstacle (termed stonewall), in the period 1999 to 2004 [7]. A train-to-train impact test was conducted later, at the end of 2005 [8]. Research for rail equipment crashworthiness was carried out [9] and a crashworthiness standard for rail vehicles running at speeds of 200 km/h and above was also issued in 1999 [10].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Analysis of the structural characteristics of an intermediate rail vehicle and their effect on vehicle crash performance

Xue

Schmid

Smith

2007

Proceedings of the Institution of Mechanical Engineers, Part F:

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In the current paper, the authors present an analysis of the structural characteristics of an intermediate rail vehicle and their effects on crash performance of the vehicle. Theirs is a simulation based analysis involving four stages. First, the crashworthiness of the vehicle is assessed by simulating an impact of the vehicle with a rigid wall. Second, the structural characteristics of the vehicle are analysed based on the structural behaviour during this impact and then the structure is modified. Third, the modified vehicle is tested again in the same impact scenario with a rigid wall. Finally, the modified vehicle is subjected to a modelled head-on impact which mirrors the real-life impact interface between two intermediate vehicles in a train impact.The emphasis of the current study is on the structural characteristics of the intermediate vehicle and the differences compared to an impact of a leading vehicle. The study shows that, similar to a leading vehicle, bending, or jackknifing is a main form of failure in this conventionally designed intermediate vehicle. It has also been found that the location of the door openings creates a major difference in the behaviour of an intermediate vehicle. It causes instability of the vehicle in the door area and leads to high stresses at the joint of the end beam with the solebar and shear stresses at the joint of the inner pillar with the cantrail. Apart from this, the shapes of the vehicle ends and impact interfaces are also different and have an effect on the crash performance of the vehicles. The simulation results allow the identification of the structural characteristics and show the effectiveness of relevant modifications. The conclusions have general relevance for the crashworthiness of rail vehicle design.BR Research (now AEAT-Rail) played a pioneering role in crashworthiness research and in the application of the results. In the late 1980s, the European railways' research organization (ORE) had formulated the Question B165 [1] and, as part of the ensuing BR led project, a crashworthy cab was developed and fullscale collision tests were conducted. Later, in the early 1990s, BR carried out further research, including the design of a crashworthy cab and full-scale train-totrain collision tests [2]. As part of these, the prevention of overriding was extensively studied. A new philosophy for the structural design of rail vehicles was proposed [3] and a British railway group standard for the crashworthiness of rail vehicles was adopted. This JRRT77

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Analysis of the structural characteristics of an intermediate rail vehicle and their effect on vehicle crash performance

Xue

Schmid

Smith

2007

Proceedings of the Institution of Mechanical Engineers, Part F:

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“…The third curve shows the SIV associated with the predicted acceleration of the cab car in the CEM train-to-train full-scale test [16]. The final curve, for sake of reference, is the SIV associated with the acceleration measured from the lead car of the CEM two-car full-scale test [4].…”

Section: Analyze the Problemmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The remaining two workstation tables will be included on the CEM train-to-train full-scale impact test. Two experiments are currently planned, one using the THOR ATD and one using the Hybrid 3RS ATD [16]. The objective of these experiments is to demonstrate the crashworthiness performance of the improved workstation table.…”

Section: Future Workmentioning

confidence: 99%

Design of a Workstation Table With Improved Crashworthiness Performance

Parent

Tyrell

Rancatore³

et al. 2005

Rail Transportation

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Work is currently underway to develop strategies to protect rail passengers seated at workstation tables during a collision or derailment. Investigations have shown that during a collision, these tables can present a hostile secondary impact environment to the occupants.This effort includes the design, fabrication, and testing of an improved workstation table. The key criteria for the design of this table are that it must compartmentalize the occupants and reduce the risk of injury relative to currently installed tables. Strengthening the attachments between the table and the passenger car body will ensure compartmentalization. Employing energy-absorbing mechanisms to limit and distribute the load imparted on the abdomen of the occupant will reduce injury risk.This paper details the design requirements for an improved workstation table, which include service, fabrication, and occupant protection requirements. Service requirements define the geometry of the table, the performance of the table under normal service loads, and the maintenance of the table over the period of installation. Fabrication requirements define the limitations on material usage and construction costs. Occupant protection requirements define the ability of the table to reduce injury risk to the occupants under collision loads. The table must also conform to federal regulations pertaining to interior structures on passenger rail equipment.Four design concepts are evaluated against these design requirements. These concepts present different modes of deformation or displacement that absorb energy during impact. These concepts have been evaluated, and the highest-ranking concept involves a crushable foam or honeycomb table edge attached to a rigid center frame. Preliminary results from a computer simulation demonstrate the effectiveness of this concept in reducing the injury risk to the occupants.

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“…A pre-test collision dynamics model of the CEM train-totrain impact test [5] indicated that the modified force-crush behavior of the cars would result in a more severe crash pulse than in the train-to-train conventional impact test. In a train-totrain collision with conventional cars, the cab car environment will be less severe than a similar collision involving CEM equipment.…”

Section: Description Of Occupant Environmentmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…A pre-test MADYMO [9] computer model was used to simulate the occupant response for each table experiment using the predicted crash pulse from the pre-test collision dynamics model [5]. All of the predicted measurements were below the maximum acceptable injury criteria values presented in Table 4.…”

Section: Figure 14 Pre-test Photo Ofmentioning

confidence: 99%

Train-to-Train Impact Test of Crash Energy Management Passenger Rail Equipment: Occupant Experiments

Severson¹,

Parent²

2006

Rail Transportation

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As part of an ongoing passenger rail crashworthiness effort, a full-scale impact test of a train with crash energy management (CEM) passenger cars was conducted on March 23, 2006. In this test, a train made up of a CEM cab car, four CEM coach cars, and a locomotive impacted a stationary train of similar mass at 30.8 mph. This test included five occupant experiments on the cab car and the first coach car to evaluate occupant injury risk and seat/table performance during the collision using anthropomorphic devices (ATDs).Three occupant protection strategies were evaluated in these occupant experiments. Forward-facing intercity seats were modified to reduce the high head injury risk observed in a previous test. Prototype commuter seats, included in both forward-facing and rear-facing orientations, were designed to mitigate the consequences of higher decelerations in the lead two CEM cars. Improved workstation tables, tested with two different advanced ATDs, were designed to compartmentalize the occupants and reduce the upper abdominal injury risk to the occupants.Similar experiments were also conducted on the two-car impact test of CEM equipment [1]. The experiments described in this paper were conducted to evaluate the level of occupant protection provided by seats and tables that were specifically designed to improve crashworthiness. Pre-test analyses indicated that the occupant environment would be more severe for the CEM test than for the comparable test of conventional equipment. The environment in the leading cab car was predicted to be similar to a 12g, 250 millisecond triangular crash pulse. The environment in the first coach was predicted to be comparable to an 8g, 250 millisecond crash pulse.To aid the design of the occupant experiments, occupant response models were developed for each of the occupant experiments using MADYMO. These models were developed for the previous two-car CEM full-scale test and adapted to the newly designed commuter seats and tables. Predictions of the occupant response during the CEM train-to-train test were developed before the test. The models were subsequently finetuned to better agree with the test data, so that many different collision scenarios may be simulated.Most of the test results were similar to the pre-test predictions. The modified intercity seats successfully compartmentalized the occupants. The risk of both head and neck injury, however, were above the respective injury threshold values. In the forward-facing commuter seat experiment the impacted seat experienced a partial failure of the seat pedestal attachment, resulting in loss of compartmentalization. The attachment failures occurred because the seats weren't fabricated as designed. However, the occupants were still compartmentalized, and the injury criteria were within survivable levels. The rear-facing commuter seat experiment experienced a more significant failure of the seat pedestal attachment, resulting in a loss of compartmentalization. The attachment failures likely occurred because the seats w...

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Preparations for a Train-to-Train Impact Test of Crash-Energy Management Passenger Rail Equipment

Cited by 9 publications

References 13 publications

Analysis of the structural characteristics of an intermediate rail vehicle and their effect on vehicle crash performance

Analysis of the structural characteristics of an intermediate rail vehicle and their effect on vehicle crash performance

Design of a Workstation Table With Improved Crashworthiness Performance

Train-to-Train Impact Test of Crash Energy Management Passenger Rail Equipment: Occupant Experiments

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